Cal Emery
Quick Facts
Biography
Calvin Wayne Emery (June 28, 1937 – November 28, 2010) was an American professional baseball first baseman and batting coach, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies. He also spent the 1970 season with Hankyu Braves of the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). During his playing days, Emery stood 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) tall, weighing 205 pounds (93 kg); he threw and batted left-handed. Emery attended Penn State University.
Career
Emery was signed by the Phillies as an amateur free agent, on June 5, 1958. Five years and one month later, on July 15, 1963, he made his big league debut at the age of 26. In 16 career MLB games (most of them as a pinch hitter), he hit .158, in 19 at-bats. Of Emery’s three major league hits, one was a double; however, he showed a keen eye at the plate, by striking out only twice. (In a 500 at-bat season, that would only be about 53 strikeouts.) Emery played his final big league game on September 20, 1963.
During Emery's only MLB season, he wore uniform number 9.
Emery hit .400 for the Triple-A Eugene Emeralds in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) in 1969, collecting 104 hits in 260 at-bats. The following season, he played for the NPB Hankyu Braves.
After his playing career, Emery managed in minor league baseball (MiLB), scouted for multiple organizations, and served as a big league batting coach for the 1988 Chicago White Sox.
On November 28, 2010, Emery died at age 73 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Other information
- Emery won the Most Outstanding Player Award in the 1957 College World Series.
- Emery served as a coach for the Chicago White Sox in 1988.
- Emery was the 1959 MVP of the Three-I League (aka the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League). He played for the Des Moines Demons.
- Emery was selected as the first baseman on the 1969 Sporting News Triple-A West All-Star Team.